


X-Patrol: Chapter 16 - A Long Road Home

by thebasement_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Crossover, Fiction, M/M, Mpreg, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-04-26
Updated: 2004-04-26
Packaged: 2018-11-21 01:55:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11347464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebasement_archivist/pseuds/thebasement_archivist
Summary: Mulder discovers something disturbing in Denver.  Blair finally has his baby.





	X-Patrol: Chapter 16 - A Long Road Home

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Basement](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Basement), which moved to the AO3 to ensure the stories are always available and so that authors may have complete control of their own works. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Basement's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thebasement/profile).

X-Patrol: Chapter 16 - A Long Road Home

### X-Patrol: Chapter 16 - A Long Road Home

#### by Jo B

  


Title: X-Patrol: Chapter 16 - A Long Road Home 

Author: Jo B 

Keywords: M/Sk, D/K, and J/B. Slash AU mpreg XF/TS crossover 

Rating: NC-17 

Story Summary: Colonization has begun. Four men set aside their differences and form an alliance to fight the aliens and stake out a new life together in their shattered world. 

Chapter Summary: Mulder discovers something disturbing in Denver. Blair finally has his baby. 

Disclaimer: The X-Files are the property Chris Carter, 1013 productions and Fox Broadcasting. The Sentinel belongs to Pet Fly Productions, UPN, and Paramount. No money is being made from their use. 

Author's notes: I think Mulder will make it home next chapter. 

Warning! This story contains romance between two men. Turn back now, if the subject matter offends you. Warning! Warning! This story contains male pregnancy! Eek run for your lives! 

Archive: Yes, just leave my name attached. 

Web site: http://slashingmulder.com/JoB/ 

Special thanks to my beta-readers Joey and Xscribe. 

* * *

Chapter 16  
X-Patrol 

A Long Road Home 

The Fox 

Friday, August 9, 2002 

Nearby movement and a strong male scent finally broke through Mulder's fevered haze. He opened his eyes and looked up into the face of a black man, kneeling over him. Mulder panicked and glanced around, looking for a way to escape and discovered that he inside a small tent. The tent was big enough for two people to sleep inside and too low to stand in. 

"Take it easy, you're safe," the man said, "I'm not going to hurt you." 

"Where am I?" Mulder's eyes went back to the man's face, trying to assess if he was a threat. "Who are you?" 

"I'm Simon. Here, sit up, I brought you some water." He placed an arm behind Mulder's back and helped him up then held a metal cup to his lips. 

Mulder's fear subsided as he gulped down the water greedily. His throat felt so parched -- the heat in the tent was stifling. 

Simon settled on the other sleeping bag, sitting cross-legged, his pant cuff hiked up, and Mulder noticed the man was wearing a handgun in an ankle holster. 

"You've been out of it for five days," Simon said. 

"Five days?" It all started flooding back, memories of General Vaughan's hands and mouth on his body, the alien morph trying to kill him, then waking up in the desert after shape-shifting back from a wolf. He had snatches of memories of being held and given water to drink ... must have been this man. 

"If my son and I hadn't found you when we did, you would have died." Simon gave Mulder a critical look. "Do you have a name?" 

"George Hale." Mulder had used that alias so often that it didn't feel like he was lying to his rescuer. 

"What prison did you escape from, Mr. Hale?" 

"Escape?" Mulder suddenly realized that he was still wearing an orange prison uniform. "I didn't escape, I was being illegally held against my will!" 

"Why were they holding you?" 

"They thought I had some information that might be useful to them." Keep it vague, no need spook this man by mentioning aliens. 

"Who are they?" 

"The military." 

"How did you get away?" 

"The men holding me were attacked, and I escaped during the fighting by jumping through a window." 

"Who attacked them?" 

"Someone who wanted me dead...." Sweat dripped off Mulder's forehead, he was growing tired of Simon's questions -- it felt like being interrogated by a cop. "Can we stop with the questions?" 

"Look, Mr. Hale, I'm only trying to learn more about you to make sure you're not a threat to my son or me." 

"I'm sorry. Of course you have every right to ask." 

"Do you have any friends or family?" 

"My family and friends are in Virginia." An idea suddenly came to Mulder. To make the journey home alone would be treacherous and Simon had already gone out of his way to take care of Mulder while he was sick. So maybe.... "I'd be willing to pay if you'd help me get back home." 

Simon gave Mulder an evaluating look. "Money is worthless, so how would you pay me?" 

"I have gold coins back home. So does that mean you'd consider helping me?" 

"I would if you'd start telling me the truth about who you are and why the military was holding you," Simon said. 

Mulder raised an eyebrow. The man was good. He must have been in law enforcement to be so perceptive. But could Mulder trust him with the truth? Did he have any choice? He really needed this man's help. "My name is Fox Mulder ... I'm a former FBI agent." 

"Go on," Simon coaxed. 

"I was in charge of the X-Files department in the FBI. My department looked into the paranormal and alien abductions. Two years ago I was abducted by aliens, and the military thought I'd have some knowledge they could use to defeat aliens." Mulder looked at Simon trying to gauge whether the man believed him. "It was an alien morph that attacked my marine guards and tried to kill me. For all I know the alien is still hunting me." 

Simon was quiet for several seconds. "I'm glad you've decided to be honest. I recognized your face from a wanted poster that the military had posted at the refugee camp my son and I stayed at through the winter." Simon placed a pair of worn tennis shoes and socks on Mulder's lap. "These are my son's. I think they'll fit you." 

"Won't your son miss them?" Mulder was overjoyed to have shoes for his feet. 

"Daryl has a pair of hiking boots." Simon chuckled. "We had quite the argument a few months back about him hauling these old sneakers around in his backpack instead of just tossing them. I'm glad to see that they'll be put to some good use and lighten my son's load." 

"Thanks." Mulder picked up the shoes and smiled. "Where's your son?" 

"He went to check the jack rabbit snare we set." Simon dug through his bag. "You can borrow some clothes from me until we can find something that will fit you better." Simon was about four inches taller and stockier than Mulder. "We'll camp here for the rest of the day and overnight then take off at first light." 

"Does this mean you're going to help me get home?" Mulder asked as he took the faded jeans and a plain green T-shirt from Simon. 

"It's a pretty long journey." Simon shrugged. "But my son and I have nowhere in particular to go, so we might as will help you get back to your family. Besides, I'd like to learn more about the aliens and since you're an expert you can fill me in along the way." 

"Thanks, Simon, you don't know how much your help means to me." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Rat and Dog 

Monday, August 12, 2002 

A week had past since Krycek had given birth and he finally recovered enough to start exercising that morning. It felt great to be back on his feet. 

From Krycek's seated position on the picnic table, he could see the gardens, stream, and woods beyond. He'd never grow tired of the beauty of this place. Krycek glanced down at his chest where Gwen was nursing, her pink lips moved rhythmically as she suckled at her mother's nipple while her fingers pressed against the pale breast. Krycek had experienced many lovers sucking and teasing his nipples but none with such powerful suction as his daughter. It was such a strange sensation. Unlike Walter, Krycek didn't find her suckling arousing. He did find having breasts disturbing. Unfortunately he probably wouldn't lose them until he stopped producing milk for Gwen. 

Maybe if Krycek started lifting weights he'd be able to build up his pectoral muscles, so his breasts wouldn't look so fucking feminine. On the other hand, John liked them and couldn't stop touching them, which did arouse Krycek greatly. 

Speak of the devil. Krycek watched John cross the gravel farmyard and stop at the picnic table. He was shirtless and his muscular chest glistened with sweat. 

"Are you done with your chores?" Krycek asked as he wrinkled his nose at the smell of pig shit. 

"Yeah. I just need to take a shower and clean my boots." John had been cleaning the pig sty and barn. 

Krycek shifted their daughter to his other nipple. "After lunch, I want to hike over to Liz and Laura's place for exercise and to pick up some honey." The two women had dozens of wooden bee hives, and Krycek loved honey in his tea and on freshly baked bread. He'd avoided honey throughout his pregnancy because of bacteria that wouldn't be healthy for the fetus. Now that Gwen was born, Liz said he could have only a small amount because he was breast feeding. At least that was better than none. 

John leaned down and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Come inside after you're done feeding her, I could use your help washing my back." 

"Sure." 

John turned and hurried toward the house. A grin spread across Krycek's lips; he knew from the way John was looking at Gwen nursing that he didn't just want his back washed. "C'mon, Gwen, it's nap time." 

~x~X~x~ 

Doggett ran a soapy washcloth over his chest while hoping that Alex would hurry before the water became too cold. John licked his lips at the thought of those swollen breasts. Being bisexual, he thought he now had the best of both worlds. 

The shower curtain opened and Alex climbed into the old claw-footed tub. Doggett's hand went immediately to those beautiful breasts and squeezed and kneaded, enjoying their plumpness. Milk dripped out of the nipples as Alex moaned in pleasure while rocking his hips in a fucking motion. Doggett lowered his head and licked the milk from the nipples before sucking on them and tasting the creamy fluid. Their daughter had it good. 

Fingers wove through Doggett's hair, holding him against the round softness of his lover. The former FBI man continued to tease the full nipples before turning his attention to his lover's swollen cock, bobbing between their bodies. Oh yeah, definitely the best of both worlds. Doggett dropped to his knees, his mouth wrapped around that lovely cock head, he traced his tongue around the glans and tasted a different fluid leaking from the small slit. 

"Ooooh!" Alex moaned and thrust his cock deeper into his lover's mouth. 

Doggett relaxed his throat muscles accommodating Alex's deep thrusts. Holding onto his lover's hips, the older man slid his fingers down between those firm buttocks until he found the tiny opening. He slipped a finger into Alex's anus and bent it to massage his prostate. That was all it took, Alex shot his load into Doggett's mouth. The older man reached down and jerked himself off while he swallowed his lover's come. Soon milky come splashed against the tan flesh of Alex's legs, and Doggett rested his head against his lover's hip. 

"I never figured you for a breast man," Alex said while caressing Doggett's head. 

"I'm a regular renaissance man." Doggett climbed back to his feet and wrapped his arms around Alex and kissed him. "Mm, I love ya." 

Alex's arms tightened around Doggett's waist. "I love you back." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Wolf, Panther, Bear, Dog, and Rat 

Wednesday, August 28, 2002 

"I can walk on my own!" Sandburg swatted Jim's hands away and waddled over to the tall cook's table, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. His back and ankles were killing him. He'd even taken to wearing a sling around his huge belly to support its weight. Sandburg sighed with relief as he sat on the counter stool. Three weeks had past since Alex gave birth to Gwen and today was Sandburg's estimated due date. Unfortunately his baby seemed to be in no hurry to be born. "This is definitely your kid." 

"How do you figure?" Jim asked. 

"Because she's so stubborn." 

"You mean he's so stubborn," Jim said. 

"Whatever." 

John came into the kitchen from the parlor holding his infant daughter. "My ex-wife was two weeks past her due date when Luke finally decided it was time." 

"Two weeks?" Sandburg glared at him. "John, you're not helping!" 

Alex snickered from his position at the stove preparing dinner. "Just try to relax and take it in stride, Blair, your baby will be born when she's ready." 

"He's ready," Jim corrected. 

Sandburg sighed as he looked at his lover and friends. "Man, I can tell I'm not going to get any sympathy from you guys." 

"You have my sympathy," Alex said as he placed a glass of iced water in front of Sandburg. "Would someone go tell Walter dinner's ready?" 

"I'll tell him," Jim said and headed out the back door. 

Alex pulled a pan of stuffed green peppers out of the oven. 

Sandburg watched him enviously. After Alex recovered from Gwen's birth, he spent the next two weeks working out and already had dropped a lot of the weight he had gained during his pregnancy. 

Since it was easier for Sandburg to sit on the counter stool at the cook's table he stayed there while Alex and John went to eat at the dining room table. When Jim came back inside, he joined Sandburg at the cook's table, while Walter placed his son into the bassinet before joining John and Alex at the table. 

Once the new addition was completed, they planned on remodeling the kitchen and adding a large counter that would be able to seat six. Since most of them enjoyed hanging out in the kitchen, the added seating wouldn't go to waste. John and Jim had been working on plans for the kitchen remodel. Walter was primarily interested in getting the new addition completed and didn't want to be bothered. The kitchen remodel would be a winter project. 

When the men weren't working on the addition, they were helping the Gunmen on the expansion to their home. The Gunmen hoped to publish the first issue of their new magazine in October. To do that they needed a workroom added onto their home for the color laser printer, computers, and supplies. 

Sandburg sliced into the stuffed green pepper filled with rice, tomatoes, and seasoned ground pork then topped with melted mozzarella cheese. He was feeling totally useless and really wanted to be able to help out more than he was able. He just wished his baby would decide it was time to be born already. 

"The new bedrooms should be finished in the next couple of days," Walter announced. 

John smiled. "Alex and I will be moving our bedroom furniture into our new room as soon as it's ready." 

"Don't expect to see us for at least a couple of days," Alex added. 

The new downstairs bedroom next to Walter's and Fox's bedroom would be Connor's room and depending on the sex of Blair's and Jim's baby, he or she would either be sharing that bedroom with Connor or the upstairs bedroom with Gwen. However, that would be a year down the road, since the babies wouldn't be moved from their parents' room until they were at least a year-and-a-half-old. 

They went back to eating while discussing their plans for the upcoming winter. 

John took a sip of water then looked down at his sleeping daughter cradled in the crook of his arm. "I talked to Frohike today. He's arranged a trade with the Elends. Come November, we'll get six freshly slaughtered lambs in exchange for four bushels of chestnuts, twelve jars of our raspberry and blueberry jam, and two dozen jars of our homemade pasta sauces." 

Alex's eyes lit up. "Cool. If we plan our meals, we should be able to have lamb at least once a week throughout winter." 

Walter sighed. "I just hope Fox is back by then." 

Sandburg felt bad for Walter. The man tried to be stoic but the grief from being separated from Fox was breaking Walter's heart. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox 

Sunday, September 1, 2002 

Definitely does not taste like chicken. Mulder made a face while chewing a chunk of roasted rattlesnake. He'd been traveling with Simon and Daryl for almost a month. They wanted to make it through the Rocky Mountains before the first snowfall. 

They stayed off the main roadways to avoid bandits and the military. Instead they followed the train tracks that laced the North American landscape. The military was using trains to transport goods and military equipment throughout the country, but the trains weren't on a regular schedule. Simon ruled out trying to jump on one of the slow moving freight trains heading east. He deemed it too risky, since most of the trains were heavily guarded. 

So they continued their journey on foot. The going was tough, walking up steep hills and over rocky terrain while having to be on constant alert for wild animals and the even more dangerous people who would kill them for the clothes off their backs. 

So during their daytime travels, they remained quiet and saved their conversations for the evening. Mulder and Daryl had hit it off and spent a lot of time discussing sports. Mulder avoided talking about his family and friends; he was concerned about how Simon would react if he found out that his traveling companion was in a homosexual relationship. Until Mulder learned more about this private man, he didn't want to chance losing Simon's help. So far all that he'd learned about Simon was that he was divorced and grew up in Rossburg, Washington -- getting that small amount of information had been like pulling teeth. 

For some reason Simon avoided talking about his life before the aliens attacked. So Mulder did most of the talking when, as now, they sat around the campfire at night. 

"You seriously hunted a flukeman through the New Jersey sewers?" Daryl said. "Man, that's so out there!" 

Mulder smiled. "Scully and I tracked its origins back to Russia. After the Chernobyl reactor meltdown, the radiation had caused numerous mutations and disfigurements in humans. It also created this flukeman by suppressing its genetic processes." 

Simon frowned. "I wonder if any mutations will be created by the contamination from all of those downed alien spaceships. No telling what types of contagions they were carrying." 

"I wouldn't worry too much. Not all mutations are bad," Mulder said with first hand knowledge. "Some mutations may even make us stronger." 

"You could be right," Simon said. "I worked with a man who had heightened senses. It came in handy considering the type of work we did." 

"You were a cop, weren't you?" 

Simon looked down at his hands with such deep sorrow, Mulder wondered if he'd get an answer to his question. Then Simon spoke in a soft voice, "I was the Captain of Cascade's police department. On the day the aliens attacked, I was at my son's High School. Instead of going to help with the evacuation, I took Daryl and we fled the city in my SUV." 

"Dad, you couldn't have done anything to help." Daryl looked across the fire at Mulder. "The whole city was destroyed in the matter of minutes. Buildings and cars were exploding all around us. We barely made it out with our lives." 

"I should have tried to help!" Simon growled. "Instead of fleeing like a coward!" 

Mulder looked at Simon. The man's guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders over his perceived dereliction of duties. Mulder knew he would have a hard time consoling this man. "Simon, it sounds like there was nothing you could have done. If I had been in your shoes, I would have chosen to save my son, too." 

"You have a son?" 

"Yeah, he was born in June." 

"You must miss him and your wife." 

"I miss them a lot. Not a moment goes by that I don't think about them." Someday Mulder would tell Simon the truth but now wasn't the time. Right now Mulder had more important things to discuss. He knew that Jim and Blair were from Cascade and worked on the police force. "You mentioned that you worked with a man who had heightened senses. He wouldn't happen to be Jim Ellison?" 

"How did you...." Simon face showed his surprise. "Don't tell me Ellison was one of your X-Files cases." 

"No. Although if I had known about Jim's Sentinel abilities back then, I would have looked into them. He and his partner, Blair Sandburg, moved in with me after the aliens attacked." 

"Are they still there?" 

"Yes." 

A broad smile spread across Simon's face. Mulder had never seen the man smile, and it warmed Mulder knowing that he was partly responsible. 

"This is the best news I've had in a year! I can't wait to see them again." Simon added another log to the fire. "Tell me more about this home of yours?" 

This was the first time Simon had asked Mulder about his home other than its location. "It's a small farm, deep in the woods on the Blue Ridge Mountains. We raise chickens and have two cows for milk, two horses, and are raising four pigs for meat. Behind the house we have a stream and a nearby lake; both are filled with fish and there are plenty of deer and wild turkeys in the forest. In the spring we planted several large vegetable and herb gardens, and we're putting up the vegetables for winter. In the root cellar we're growing several varieties of mushrooms. On our property we have a variety of fruit and nut trees. We also have raspberry, blueberry, and currant bushes. We make our own maple syrup. Oh yeah, peanuts. We're going to be making our own roasted peanut butter." 

"Wow!" Daryl asked, "Would we be able to stay with you?" 

"We have plenty of room," Mulder said. 

"I wouldn't want to impose," Simon said. "Is there a place nearby we could move into?" 

"No. Our nearest neighbor lives six miles away." Mulder looked at Simon and Daryl as an idea came to him. "My property is thousands of acres; most of it is rocky and hilly, but about three miles from my place on the north side of the lake there is a nice patch of land that would be perfect for a small farm. It would be a lot of hard work clearing the land and building a log home but with twelve men working on it, it shouldn't take too long. We could start on it in the spring and have it finished before next winter." 

"Can we, Dad?" Daryl asked. 

"That's very generous of you, Mulder," Simon said. 

"It's the least I can do to pay back your generosity." Glancing up at the nighttime sky, Mulder noted that the moon would be full the following night. So he would have to sneak away from camp before moon rise. It shouldn't be too hard to do since Mulder slept outside by the campfire while Simon and his son slept in the tent. The only times Mulder opted to sleep in the cramped tent was when it was raining, otherwise the confined space was too hot. Come winter the tent would be a good place to sleep. 

"We'd better get some sleep." Simon gathered the tin plates and carried them down to the river to wash them. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Wolf and Panther 

Sunday, September 8, 2002 

Sandburg's eyes shot open as the sheets beneath him became soaked as his water broke. He nudged his lover. "Jim, wake up...." 

"Whatsamatter?" 

"It's time." 

"Hmm?" Jim said sleepily then scooted away from Blair. "What the hell? Why is the bed wet?" 

"My water broke." 

"You're in labor!" Jim leaped out of bed and took a few steps toward the door, then spun back to face Blair. "Stay there! Don't move! I'm going to wake Walter and have him radio the Gunmen so they can get Liz and Laura over here." 

"Just hurry up! I'm lying on a major wet spot." 

Sandburg expected his first contraction to hurt more than it did. It was just a minor discomfort -- he was more bothered by the wet sheets. 

A couple of minutes later, Jim hurried back into the room, clearly panicking. "How close are you? Can you stand or will the baby slip out?" 

Sandburg almost broke out laughing at his lover's disheveled appearance and inane question. "The baby isn't going to slip out. Just help me out of bed. I'd like to get off this wet mattress. You're going to have to wash it and put it out in the sun to dry in the morning." Sandburg felt surprisingly calm. He couldn't wait for the baby to be born. 

Jim helped Blair out of bed and put a robe around him. "Walter is going to fix his bed for you as soon as he's off the radio. Until it's ready I'll help you get settled on the sofa." 

"No. I'll sit at the cook's table and you can make me an omelet." Sandburg allowed his lover to support him. Not that he really needed help walking, but it seemed to calm Jim to provide some form of aid. 

"You're kidding?" 

"No, I'm serious." Sandburg smiled. "It might be hours before our baby is born and I'm hungry." 

"You're unbelievable." Jim grinned. 

~x~X~x~ 

The sun was setting as Ellison kneeled on the mattress beside Blair, who was on all fours, and massaged his back. Since Blair's water had broken at three in the morning, Jim had spent the morning and afternoon walking around the house with his lover, sharing showers, and attending to his aches and pains. The contractions got stronger as the day wore on and Blair had endured them stoically until he was in full labor. 

"Oh man, this seriously hurts," Blair gasped. 

Laura pulled a latex glove off. "Not too much longer, guys." 

Ellison kissed the center of Blair's back. "Do you want to move to another position?" 

"Yes ... I want to lie on my side." 

Ellison wrapped an arm around his lover's body and helped position him on the mattress. 

Blair asked tiredly, "Big guy, can you press your fist against my lower back." 

"Sure, Chief." Ellison did as told and found the spot that was giving Blair so much pain and applied pressure to it. "How's that?" 

"Much better." 

"Good." While keeping his fist pressed against his lover's back, Ellison stretched out behind Blair and held him through his next contraction. 

They spent an hour in that position before Blair's contractions became moments apart as he went into the final stages of labor. Ellison helped Blair roll onto his back then moved to the bottom of the bed while Walter moved to the front with a washcloth to clean the sweat from Blair's brow. 

"You're doing good," Walter said. 

Ellison wanted to witness their baby's birth. He stood at the base of the bed and watched as his lover had the next contraction that brought the baby into the birth canal. Ellison could see the top of the baby's head. "Oh my God! Chief, I can see him! This is so cool!" 

Blair raised his head and looked at his lover. "You're having our next child so I can be standing where you ...." He stopped talking as he had another contraction. Blair bore down with all of his might, pushing the baby from his body then collapsed back against the pillows. "Boy or girl?" he asked breathlessly. 

"We have a beautiful baby boy." Ellison was glowing with happiness as he watched Laura clean out the baby's mouth and nose with a rubber bulb while Liz handed him a pair of scissors. His hand shook while he cut the umbilical cord. 

"Is he all right?" Blair asked. 

"He's perfect ...." Ellison took the crying baby from Laura and placed him on Blair's chest. "See for yourself." 

"You're right ... he's beautiful." Blair smiled. "I want our next child to be a girl." 

Ellison did not want to go through what his lover had just gone went through. However, it wouldn't be fair to expect Blair to go through it twice. Okay, he'd either convince Blair that one child was more than enough or he'd have to buck up and go through with it. Since he didn't have a vagina maybe it wouldn't be too bad. Walter couldn't even remember having given birth to Connor. 

Walter placed a hand on Ellison's shoulder. "Congratulations." 

"Thanks, Walt." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Frog, Bear, Rat, Dog, Panther, and Wolf 

Sunday, October 13, 2002 

Three months had gone by since Mulder had turned himself into the military. Two weeks ago Frohike had confirmed, to his satisfaction, the military's report that Mulder had been abducted by an alien morph. The only thing he was unable to confirm was how the alien had gotten Mulder off the planet. There were no records of any UFO activity over North America, and considering the status of high alert the military had been on since the aliens attacked, that struck Frohike as strange. So a chance remained that Mulder was still on Earth either a prisoner of the morph, or on his way home. 

All day, Frohike had struggled with telling the guys about Mulder. He'd put it off long enough. As the sun was setting he rode a bicycle to their home. 

Peddling through the gap in the bushes, Frohike stopped to look at his friends' home. The new addition was complete with the exception of some interior work. Smoke was coming out of the massive chimney in the new great room. Through the large picture window, he could see Blair sitting on a rocking chair in front of the fire nursing Joey. 

Frohike walked the bicycle over to the bike rack and put down the kickstand. Climbing up the steps to the new porch, he walked through the front door into the foyer. 

"Hey, Melvin," Alex greeted as he carried a load of laundry down the hall from the laundry room. "We just had dinner but there are some leftovers in the fridge if you're hungry." 

"No. I ate before I came." He glanced around the great room. John was sitting on the sofa, holding Gwen, while Jim watched Blair nurse their son. "Where's Walter?" Frohike asked. 

"He's moping in his bedroom. Today was Fox's birthday." 

"Can you go get him? I have news ... about Mulder." 

Everyone in the great room turned to look at him. 

"What about Mulder?" John asked anxiously. 

Walter must have heard them talking because he came out of his bedroom carrying Connor. The baby was able to hold his head up now and was looking around as he sucked on a pacifier. There was fear in Walter's eyes as he asked, "Mel, what's wrong?" 

"I wanted to wait until I could confirm the information I obtained from Sean's sources in the military." 

"What information!" Walter asked. 

Connor must have been frightened by the tone of his daddy's voice because he started crying and the pacifier fell out of his mouth, landing on the wood floor. 

Jim stood and took Connor from Walter. "I'll take him to my room so you guys can talk." The baby's wails bounced off the walls as Jim hurried out of the room. 

Frohike took a deep breath. "Mulder is no longer in the military's custody. The military believe that he was abducted by an alien morph and is no longer on the planet." 

"No! That's not possible!" Walter's jaw jutted out as he asked, "What do you believe, Melvin?" 

"I believe Mulder is still on the planet ... he might be a prisoner of the morph. Or he could have escaped. There's been no indication that he's been taken from Earth." 

"Then where is he?" 

"He was being held at Area 51 in Nevada." Frohike wiped at his eyes. "That's a long road home on foot." 

"Dammit! I need to go look for him!" 

"Where would you look? He's been missing for over two months." 

"Two months?" Walter glared at Frohike. "You waited two months to tell us?" 

"I wanted to make sure the military wasn't spinning a lie." 

Walter ran a hand over his bald head. "Well, if the morph has Fox, I have to go rescue him!" 

John passed Gwen to Alex before going over to Walter's side. "Walt, you've convinced me that Fox will make it back here on his own. It may take longer than we had expected, but I still believe that if he's still on Earth, he's on his way home. Fox once told me that he thought of you as his beacon in the night. You have to believe that he's focusing on that light to return to you." 

Walter closed his eyes as he struggled to make a decision. "We'll keep the porch light on until he returns." He bent and picked up the pacifier from the floor. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox 

Thursday, November 7, 2002 

Mulder no longer had any doubts that he was pregnant. Although he hadn't had morning sickness, he had missed his periods and his pants were becoming tighter. Luckily Simon's clothes were large on him and provided room for his expanding waistline. Still it would be only a matter of time before he out grew them. Since they were nearing Denver, Mulder decided to go scavenging through the ruins for clothes and supplies for winter. 

Overhead, the clouds threatened snow. At least they now had three donkeys, so they were no longer on foot. They traded a day's worth of labor for the animals. Mulder suspected the rancher felt sorry for them and that was why he let them have the donkeys so cheaply. They were sturdy animals with a good temperament, not at all the stubborn creatures he had read about as a child. It took some time to get used to riding bareback but after several weeks, they all became experts. 

"I've been to Denver before," Mulder said as he rode beside Simon. "I know where a sporting goods store is located." 

Simon nodded. "Okay, we get in and out as quickly as we can. I don't want to spend more than an hour in Denver." 

"Denver's a big city." Mulder shrugged. "It might take us longer." 

"We only have one gun," Simon said. 

"If we find that sporting goods store, we'll each get a hunting rifle." 

"With our luck it will probably have already been looted." 

"Maybe...." Mulder looked toward the ruins of the city. A disconcerting quiet hung over it; not even birds were anywhere near it. "Something doesn't feel right," he said as he dismounted. "Simon, stay with Daryl ... I'm going in alone on foot." 

"What are you afraid of?" Simon asked as he looked toward the ruins and shuddered. 

"Let's just say it?s a feeling." 

"Maybe we should all keep moving then...." 

"No. We need supplies." Mulder gave them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." 

"Wait." Simon reached down and removed his handgun from the ankle holster. "Take this." 

"No. You'll need it." Mulder handed the gun back. "Take the donkeys and get as far from here as you can. Follow the train tracks. I'll catch up with you later." 

Simon gave Mulder a look of frustration. "Okay, you better be careful ... Daryl and I have gotten used to listening to your weirdass campfire tales." 

Mulder smiled. "I'll catch up with you guys as soon as I can." 

~x~X~x~ 

On the outskirts of the city, Mulder stumbled across trucks, SUVs, and cars. All the vehicles had been parked to conceal them from the view of the interstate that skirted the destroyed city. By the layer of grime covering the windshields, they looked as if they had been parked there for several months. A chill ran down Mulder's spine as he wondered what had happened to their owners. He climbed over a pile of broken concrete and twisted steel; all that remained of a road that entered the city. The cold temperature masked the smell of death, but it didn't cover up another smell that seemed to permeate the ruins. The place smelled like a zoo. As Mulder moved deeper into the city, he felt as if hundreds of eyes were watching him. 

He swallowed nervously as his eyes fell on glistening white bones on the black asphalt. The flesh had been stripped from them in such a way that the bones looked as if they had been polished. Squatting beside the small pile, Mulder picked up a human femur and noted the strange scrape marks on the bone. Next to the bones were several assault rifles; whoever these people were they had died after the alien attack ... maybe even months after. Mulder suspected they had been looters. As he reached for the rifles he heard a noise behind him and turned to find himself surrounded by dozens of rats the size of pit bulls. 

Without even thinking Mulder shape-shifted into a wolf and lunged for the nearest rat, he killed it instantly with one chomp of his powerful jaws. The other rats attacked him from all sides. Their razor sharp teeth slid harmlessly off his flesh; unlike the alien's plam that was made of a special alloy, their teeth could not penetrate his skin. Bloodlust flared the wolf's nostrils. By the time he finished, dozens of dead mutant rats lay scattered over the ruins. The others had fled in fear. 

Mulder licked the blood from his snout as he looked around at the carnage he'd wrought. He decided to stay in wolf form as he headed in the direction of the sporting goods store. The vehicles he found on the outskirts of the ruins most likely belonged to people who had come to loot the city only to encounter the rats. No longer afraid, Mulder planned to make several trips to fill one of those trucks with supplies. 

If it weren't for the military's control of all of the major roadways, Mulder wouldn't hesitate to use the truck to return home. Unfortunately he couldn't chance it. Not if the military was searching for him. It was better to stay off the roads and follow the train tracks home than chance being captured by the military again, especially if they thought the morph had killed him. That would mean they weren't looking for him and his return to the mountain would not put his family at risk. 

As Mulder entered the sporting goods store, it felt like thousands more eyes were watching him from the other destroyed or damaged buildings. A collapsed wall had destroyed one section of the store. The clothing was in the far back corner of the stor, protected from the elements. Since it had been September when the aliens attacked, most of the clothing was geared toward winter. 

Mulder found several large duffle bags. He shape-shifted back to his human form and proceeded to fill them with winter coats, hats, gloves, boots, and long underwear. After they were full, he shape-shifted back to wolf form and carried them one at a time to one of the trucks parked outside of the city. It was slow going but he couldn't chance being attacked while in his vulnerable human form. 

By the time he had finished raiding the store the back of the truck was filled with three heavily insulted sleeping bags to replace the Banks' two worn bags, several pairs of jeans, flannel shirts, extra large sweat pants and tops, and a pair of moccasins that were light weight and should fit Mulder's feet when they became swollen due to his pregnancy. He also found a three person, four season tent that could even get them safely through a blizzard. The last items he loaded into the truck were hunting and fishing supplies, a new first aid kit, soap and detergent, dried foods, and new outdoor cookware. 

Before Mulder climbed behind the wheel of the truck, he changed clothes, pulling on the mountain pants, insulated jacket, and hiking boots. 

~x~X~x~ 

Simon paced the camp that he and Daryl had set up twenty-five miles from Denver. As usual it was near the train tracks beside a small stream. Mulder shouldn't have any trouble finding them. The former police captain wondered how long it would take Mulder to reach them on foot weighed down with supplies. 

They might have to camp here for three days. If Mulder wasn't back by then, they'd have to continue on without him. At least Mulder had given them a detailed map on how to make it to the ranger station that was eight miles from his Blue Ridge Mountain home. 

"Dad, are you coming to bed?" Daryl asked from inside the tent. 

"I'll be right there." Simon glanced one more time in the direction of Denver. As he was about to turn and climb into the tent, his eyes fell on the headlights of a vehicle heading in their direction. He removed his handgun from the ankle holster. "Daryl, get out here." 

The headlights dipped and rose as the vehicle bounced over the uneven ground beside the train tracks. It drove slowly as if searching.... 

A smile broke out across Simon's lips. "I think its Mulder." 

He stepped out in front of the truck and waved his arms. The pickup truck came to a stop beside him and Mulder climbed out of the driver's seat. "Santa has arrived." 

Daryl hurried over to the truck. "Where'd you get the wheels?" 

"Outside the city," Mulder said. "It belonged to some looters who didn't make it out of the city alive." 

"What happened to them?" Daryl asked. 

"I don't know. I encountered a rat the size of a pit bull, but was able to scare it off by tossing bricks at it." 

Daryl eyes lit up. "Do you think it was a mutant?" 

"It might have been." 

Simon walked over to the back of the truck. The moonlight offered enough light so he could see that it was filled with supplies -- too many supplies for them to carry. 

Mulder must have read his expression. "I got new sleeping bags and a new tent to replace our current one. It won't be too much to haul, not with our donkeys." 

Daryl reached into one bag and pulled out a packet of Beef stroganoff. "Real food! Can we make this tonight?" 

"No," Mulder said. "That food is for when we really need it." 

Simon nodded. "Daryl, there'll be days this upcoming winter when we'll be unable to find food. Those packets of food will be a life saver then." 

"Okay." The teenager sighed then turned his attention back to the other items in the truck. "What else did you get us?" 

"Three hunting rifles and ammo, three fishing poles with tackle, clothes, soap and shampoo." Mulder pulled out a winter coat and mountain pants and tossed them to Daryl. "Winter clothes. Those pants are water proof and insulated." 

"Did you get enough for each of us?" Daryl asked. 

"Yes. I also picked up three bottles of wine -- one each for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. If we make it to those holidays we'll need something to celebrate with." 

Simon smiled as he looked at the labels on the wine bottles. Mulder had found three superb vintages. "This will be something to look forward to. We'll sort through the rest of the stuff in the morning. Let's turn in for the night." He felt a great sense of relief that Mulder had made it back, and they had supplies to help them make it through winter. Maybe they would be fine. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Bear, Rat, Dog, and Panther 

Wednesday, November 27, 2002 

Paul Doggett and his son, Mike, finally arrived at the small farmstead at noon, riding the horses that Ranger Smith had loaned them for their eight mile trip. Paul had been looking forward to seeing John and his granddaughter. Over six months had past since he'd last been to visit his son. 

At the barn, Jim Ellison was waiting for them, and took a hold of the horse's bridles. "It's good to see you again, Paul, Mike," he greeted. 

"Jim, how have you been?" Paul asked as he climbed off the horse. 

"Busy. Between the babies and preparing for winter, life has been hectic around here." Jim grinned. "I'm really looking forward to winter when we can relax for a few months." 

"I know how you feel," Paul said as he looked toward the house. "By the size of the new addition, I'd say you guys had been extra busy this summer." 

"Yeah, with three children we needed the extra room. Why don't you and Mike go inside and warm up while I take care of your horses." 

Paul nodded. "I'm anxious to see my granddaughter and the other babies." 

Mike retrieved their bags from the horses and handed his dad a canvas duffle bag. 

Paul carried the heavy bag as he walked toward the back door of the house. Mike was carrying their luggage. The door opened as they neared. 

"Pa, Mike!" John embraced them as they entered the house. 

"Johnny, it's good to see ya boy." Paul slapped John on the back. 

"Let me take your bags to your room," John said reaching for the bags his brother and father were holding. 

"This one has some things for the kids," Paul said as he handed John the heavy bag. The room smelled of pies baking. 

"Jeez, this weighs a ton! What do you have in here?" John asked after he shouldered the two duffle bags Mike had been carrying and hefted the bag from his dad. 

"All of yours and your siblings' children books and some of your toy Tonka trucks." Paul removed his hat and gloves, and shoved them in the pockets of his winter coat before shrugging it off. 

"You still have my old toys?" 

"Of course I do. Now where's my granddaughter?" In great room, Paul noticed Walter sitting on the floor while a baby crawled around next to him. That must be Connor. The baby would be five months old. 

Walter looked up at them and smiled. "Hey, Paul, Mike. Come over and meet Connor." 

The baby was babbling happily as he chewed on a wooden block. 

Crossing the room, Paul kneeled down next to the baby. Connor held out the block to him. 

"For me?" Paul took the block ignoring that it was covered with saliva. "What a good boy." He set down the block and picked up Conner. The baby looked at him with large brown eyes then grabbed Paul's nose. "Walter, he's a beautiful baby." 

"Connor's really good," Walter said. "He hardly ever cries. Even now that he's started teething. I just wish Fox would come home so he doesn't miss too much of our son's life." 

"You haven't heard anything from him yet?" Mike asked as he kneeled next to them. 

"No." Walter took Connor from Paul and cuddled the baby. "I was hoping he'd make it back before the first snow storm shuts us off from the outside world. It doesn't look like he will make it -- I don't even know if he's still on the planet." 

"I'm sorry, Walter," Paul said, noticing the deep pain in the other man's eyes. A voice from overhead interrupted them. 

"Look, Gwendolyn, Grandpa Paul and Uncle Mike are finally here!" Alex said from upstairs as he held Gwen while looking over the railing before carrying the baby down the spiral staircase. 

Paul climbed to his feet. Gwendolyn had on a tiny blue velvet dress with a matching headband around her short sable hair, and white tights with ruffles over her diapered butt. Her bright blue eyes scanned the room. She was very alert for someone just shy of four months old. "May I hold my granddaughter?" 

"Yes you may." Alex passed the baby to him. "I'm glad you and Mike were able to make it for Thanksgiving." 

"So am I." Tears welled up in Paul's eyes as he held his granddaughter. "You don't know how much I've wanted to come here and see her." 

The elder Doggett glanced back at Walter; if it hadn't been for Fox's sacrifice the military might still have been watching them, which would have made the trip impossible. 

"I have a present for her in my bag," Paul said as he reluctantly handed Gwen back to Alex. "Let me go get it." 

He'd seen John carry their bags into the new bedroom that was next to Walter and Fox's bedroom. When Paul walked into the room he found John was sitting on the lower bunk of a bunk bed made of logs. The beds were dwarfed in the large room, leaving plenty of space for the children to play in when they got older. 

John was flipping through an old children's book. "These bring back a lot of memories," he said. 

"Do you remember what your favorite book was?" Paul asked. 

"This one 'The Adventures of Robinson Cursoe.'" The worn cover had a bearded man dressed in buckskin, holding a rifle and an umbrella. 

Paul smiled then nodded toward a stack of books that John had piled on the mattress. "Your sister loved those Madeline books. We used to buy them for her each time a new one came out." 

"I remember them," John said. 

Digging into his bag, Paul pulled out an item wrapped in tissue paper. "I brought this for Gwendolyn. Do you recognize it?" he asked. Removing the tissue, he revealed a rag doll with reddish yarn hair, a yellow hat, and a blue coat with two black buttons. 

"It's Maggie's doll. I'm surprise its still in such good shape, she used to carry that thing everywhere with her." 

"It was her Madeline doll. Your Mom mended and washed this doll many times over the years then packed it away in tissue paper. She wanted Margaret to give it to her own daughter some day." Paul had never gotten over losing his only daughter in a car accident. He'd never forgive the drunk who ended such a promising life. 

John swallowed back tears. "I'm sure Gwen will love it and the books as much as Maggie did." 

"I'm going to give this doll to Gwendolyn. Why don't you put those books on the shelves?" The room had built-in shelves and dresser drawers, and the bay window had a window seat with padded cushions. It would be a perfect place for a child or even an adult to curl up and read. Someone had put a lot of thought into designing this room. For some reason, Paul thought it would have been Walter. The man struck Paul as someone who was always planning ahead. As he left the bedroom, Paul said a quick prayer that Fox would return soon. 

~x~X~x~ 

The Fox 

Thanksgiving 

All warm and cozy, dressed in the winter clothes that Mulder had found for them in Denver, Simon relaxed beside the fire and sipped white wine from a tin cup. They had made it over halfway through Kansas. Mulder was cooking their Thanksgiving dinner. Their main course was the fat goose Simon had shot and cleaned yesterday. Three days earlier, on a farm they had passed through in Ottawa County, Kansas, they had been given broccoli, potatoes, and corn meal. For this one day they were preparing a feast for themselves, instead of being frugal with their supplies. For once Simon felt like he had something to be thankful for. 

His mouth watered at the smell of the goose roasting over the open flame. While Mulder made the giblet gravy, Daryl helped by washing the dirty pans in the river. 

By the time dinner was ready, Simon had gone through half the bottle of wine. For some reason, Mulder had limited himself to only half a cup of wine that he sipped slowly. Not that Simon was complaining. He enjoyed a good glass of wine. This was really a treat after over a year of living hard off the land. 

On tin plates, Mulder dished them up the roasted goose with corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and broccoli. It wasn't the largest Thanksgiving feast but it was more food than Simon and Daryl had at one time since they left the refugee camp. And it tasted like the best meal Simon had in his life, maybe because he'd gone so long without a decent meal. He watched his son chow down with a relish. Daryl had been a picky eater as a boy, but he ate the broccoli without complaint. He even seemed to like it. 

Looking across the fire at Mulder, Simon raised his tin cup. "I'd like to propose a toast." 

Mulder and Daryl picked up their cups. 

"To a better future," Simon said as he clicked cups with his son's and Mulder's. 

"Mulder, do you think we'll make it to your home by New Year's?" Daryl asked. 

"No." Mulder shook his head. "At the rate we're traveling we might make it there by Easter." 

The troubled expression on Mulder's face worried Simon. The former FBI agent was keeping something from them. What that was Simon could only guess. Mulder didn't have a problem telling them about the mutant rat the size of a pit bull that he had encountered in Denver. Simon didn't believe that it was only one or that Mulder had scared it off by throwing bricks at it. No Simon had the same feeling Mulder had when looking at the ruins. Something evil inhabited that place and it hadn't been only a mutant rat. Mulder was trying not to worry them. 

Simon studied Mulder. Here was a man who had seen and experienced some of life's greatest horrors and had grown wiser and stronger from the experience. He hoped Mulder would come to trust them; Simon wanted to find out what the man was keeping from them. 

"How are we going to go about getting appliances for this cabin we're going to build?" Simon asked. He had been imagining the place in his mind. 

"Appliances won't be a problem, its getting a windmill to generate electricity that will be a bear," Mulder said, scooping up a forkful of mash potatoes. "There's a big demand for windmills and solar panels. We were lucky to get ahead of the rush. You might have to go through next winter without electricity, but I think we'll be able to get some solar panels to heat the water in your bathroom." 

"You're pretty knowledgeable about building log homes," Simon said. 

"It was all learned by experience. When I moved to my place, it didn't have electricity. I still have a wood-burning stove and a wood-burning water heater. We might want to look into getting you those appliances if we can find them. Being in the middle of a forest we're not hurting for wood." Mulder looked down at his plate. "God, I wish we had dinner rolls ... I'd even settle for Wonder Bread." 

"I would kill for a hard roll to mop up this gravy, too." Simon chuckled. "It's damn good, Mulder. You're going to have to teach Daryl and me how to make bread once we get to your place." 

"Jim and Blair have become expert bakers," Mulder said. "I'm sure they have rolls with their Thanksgiving meal, along with several types of pie." 

Daryl sighed. "What I wouldn't give for a slice of apple pie." 

"Would you settle for a hostess apple pie?" 

"You better not be teasing me." 

Mulder smirked and pulled three packets of hostess apple pies from the bag next to him. "I've been saving these for today. And according to the expiration date we still have another six months to eat them." 

"You know, Mulder, you can surprise," Simon said as he reached for one of the pies and unwrapped it. "We used to have these in the vending machine at the Cascade PD, but I didn't care for them." He took a bite and sighed; "Now it tastes like a slice of heaven ... thanks." 

~x~X~x~ 

The Bear, Rat, Dog, Panther, Wolf, Frog, Otter, Stork, and Puppy 

Thanksgiving 

Liz scooped the sweet potatoes onto her overflowing plate. She and Laura had made potato croquettes for the celebration. They hardly seemed adequate with the two roasted wild turkeys that were sitting in platters on the center of the long table. She'd never sat down to such a feast with such good company. Her Mel was sitting to her right, and Paul Doggett had taken the seat to her left. 

Paul was a good looking and honorable man, but Liz's heart belonged to Melvin. When she had met Melvin she knew instantly that she had found her soul-mate, someone who shared all of her likes and dislikes. Paul was a lot like Mel, men like them were few and far between. 

Connor sat in a highchair next to Walter at the head of the table, while Gwen was in a highchair between John and Alex at the other end of the table. Joey was sleeping in the bassinet a few feet away in the parlor. 

Liz glanced around the room as she chatted and ate. The dining area had been expanded into part of the old parlor. The guys planned on expanding the kitchen into the remainder of the space. A fire blazed in the huge stone fireplace in the great room, providing plenty of warmth. She picked up her wineglass and took a sip. It was quite good considering it was homemade from wild mountain grapes. Her attention turned to Paul and John. 

"It was hard, putting a bullet through the back of their skulls," John said. 

"It's part of nature," Paul said. 

They had slaughtered the hogs last week. Liz and Laura had helped with cutting up the meat and removing the organs. One of the four hogs were theirs, another hog was the Gunmen's. 

"I heard a rumor from one of the soldiers that stopped by my farm," Paul said, "Something strange is happening at some of the destroyed cities." 

The table had gone quiet as everyone turned the attention to the elder Doggett. 

Paul went on, "Rats have been reported to have grown to the size of small hogs and at night another strange creature had been spotted flying over the ruins. Some have said it resembled a gargoyle." 

Liz didn't know if the man was joking or serious. "Paul, you did say rumors." 

"Were any of these spotted in Baltimore or D.C.?" Alex asked. 

"Alex, you don't really believe these rumors?" Liz asked. 

"Why not?" Alex glanced at Gwen sucking on a pacifier. "If the rumors of these rats are true then it would be only a matter of time before they leave the ruins in search of food." 

"They're still rumors," John said. "Let's not blow this out of proportion just yet." 

Blair nodded in agreement. "Besides, Alex, once the snow falls, nothing will be able to get up here until spring. We can check into it then." 

"I don't think we should wait until spring," Langly quipped. "We should start breeding giant cats right away!" 

John chuckled. "Or at least start building giant rat traps." 

"Guys, this isn't funny!" Alex sighed, "Where is Fox when we need him?" 

Walter who had been quiet throughout dinner spoke for the first time. "Hopefully he's avoiding the ruins on his way home." 

Byers cleared his throat. "Walter, it could take many, many months for Fox to make it back here from Area 51. He's probably staying off the main highways." 

"If he's still alive," Walter said. 

"We don't know that he isn't," Blair said, "We have to remain hopeful." 

~x~X~x~ 

End of Chapter Sixteen: A Long Road Home 

Coming soon Chapter Seventeen: 

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